DO NOT delay - nominate today, as this is your last chance to honour local sports stars and unsung heroes.

The Basingstoke and Deane Gazette Sports Awards will be held at the Apollo Hotel on March 3 next year and nominations are needed now for a number of categories.

Service to Sport, Team of the Year, Sports Volunteer of the Year, Official of the Year, Club of the Year and Team of the Year gongs are all up for grabs at the event.

No sportsman or sportswoman can get anywhere without help behind the scenes, which is why there is also a Coach of the Year award.

This year, there are paid and voluntary awards and each winner will be handed a prize of £100.

The Service to Sport award aims to recognise people who keep sport and sports clubs running, but are often forgotten.

If submitting a nomination, give details on who you are nominating, what club or sport they are affiliated with and explain why they are being nominated. If possible, provide press cuttings or evidence of achievements.

Team of the Year nominations are welcome from any local team, junior or senior, who had an especially successful season.

The Sports Volunteer of the Year award is in recognition of the important work by volunteers at both junior and senior levels.

No sport can run successfully without officials, who often put in many hours of effort.

This is your chance to nominate either junior or senior candidates for recognition in the Official of the Year category.

Clubs are encouraged to submit details of their achievements over the past year in order to be considered for the Club of the Year award, which also features paid and voluntary categories.

The awards are considered against a number of criteria, such as committee structure, constitution and code of conduct.

Judges will consider equality of opportunity successes, achievements, whether there is a good coaching structure and if the club has appropriately qualified coaches and first-aid personnel.

Application forms for the Coach of the Year award are available only from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council by calling 01256 845685, with a closing date of December 31.

Nominations in any of the other categories must also be received by December 31.

Send your applications by post to sports council chairman Kevin Laing, 92 Loggon Road, Harrow Way, Basingstoke, RG21 3PB or e-mail applications to basingstokelsc@aol.com detailing who you are nominating, what sport they represent and as much detail as possible relating to the category, plus relevant contact numbers.

Kevin Laing